Founded in 1886, Lakeside was named for Lindo Lake, a naturally occurring lake that was the centerpiece of a 6,600-acre purchase by the El Cajon Valley Land Co. A Victorian-style inn, called the Lakeside Hotel, was built alongside the lake. When the railroad system made its way to Lakeside in 1889, businesses came to town, cementing Lakeside as a rural community that would long outlast the inn.
Lakeside today is most accessible by Interstate 8 and Highway 67, and Lindo Lake County Park is now a 45-acre community park that’s still considered the heart of this unincorporated community. Lindo Lake County Park has a community center, teen center, softball field, tennis courts, picnic areas, a 1.5-mile trail, and will soon have a County Board of Supervisors-approved skateboard park.
